Chevel Shepherd, The Voice: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Chevel Shepherd, one of four top contenders left on The Voice, cemented her place in the season 15 finale with a duet with Team Blake Shelton‘s Kirk Jay, performing a mash-up of “She’s Country” by Jason Aldean and “Country Must Be Country Wide” by Brantley Gilbert. She then performed solo, singing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue.”

Shepherd has been singing since she was just two years old, and she has spent her entire life honing her voice and singing whenever she was given the chance. Her website slogan – “Singing isn’t just my dream, it’s my reality” – is an accurate portrayal of a young lady who’s in it to win it, and hoping to do just that as The Voice draws nearer to a close.

At just 16-years-old, Shepherd continues to impress the world with her voice. Here’s what you need to know about Chevel Shepherd:

1. She Began Singing on the Radio, Made Her Own “Mini CD” When She Was 9-Years-Old & Knows How to Yodel

Born in La Plata, New Mexico, Shepherd was raised on country music and the outdoors, and loves doing crafts, feeding the animals, and fixing cars with her dad, according to NBC. But her real passion? Singing.

She followed in her mother and sister’s footsteps and began singing when she was just 2-years-old, her website bio states. She started to pick up every singing opportunity she could get, including a few radio gigs when she was 8-years-old. She even created her own mini CD with songs she’d recorded before she turned 10.

She first learned to yodel when she was about 11-years-old when her mom showed her a video, according to Parade. Prior to seeing the video, she told Parade that she had had no idea what yodeling was, but she fell in love with it and kept on practicing.

2. She Auditioned for The Voice Years Ago & Was Called Back to Audition Again This Season

Shepherd loved watching The Voice since she was young, and actually auditioned for season 13 in Las Vegas, according to Parade. However, she didn’t get a Blind Audition because the teams were already full, so she was pleasantly surprised when she got a second opportunity to try out. She didn’t even have to go through the long lines of other hopeful singers, as the show contacted her personally to come back and audition again. She told Parade that she thinks they called her back because of her “unique style.”

“I am an old soul,” she told Parade. “I love the sound of older country music. I love everything about it, the storytelling, all of the instruments, just the musicality of it, and I just love to be able to do something different that no one’s doing now, because it’s all modern country and old country’s dying as well as yodeling, so I’d like to bring it back.”

3. Shepherd Plans to Continue Pursuing a Career in Music After the Show, Whether She Wins or Loses

She is now in the top four finalists for The Voice and Shepherd plans to continue pursuing a career in music after the show, no matter the results. “I want to tour across the country spreading my love and passion for music. I want to live my dream and hopefully show others that anything is possible,” her bio states.

She told Parade that she can’t wait to continue her career in music. “I really want to start working on my own original country music and I want to start making albums,” she said. “I want to start a band. I want to just put out classic country albums and modern country albums, and just do what I love.”

4. Shepherd’s Performance of “Blue” by LeAnn Rimes Was Dedicated to Her Grandfather

Shepherd’s December 10 performance of “Blue” was dedicated to her grandfather, who was in the audience while she sang. Her grandfather loves that she learned how to yodel, and she was proud to have him in the audience while she performed.

“My grandpa always wanted someone in the family to yodel, and no one can but me, so it was really cool to have him sit in the audience and be able to sing that song for him,” Chevel told Parade.com. “I also had my brother and one of his friends and my friend and her parents, so I had quite a few people in the audience, as well as my mom.”

5. San Juan County Established a “Chevel Shepherd Day” to Honor Shepherd Once She Returns From Los Angeles

The San Juan County Commission issued a proclamation earlier this month to honor Shepherd, announcing a “Chevel Shepherd Day” was going to be established, according to the Farmington Daily Times.

The commission presented a plaque to her father, Robert Shepherd, and said a date will be set to celebrate Chevel Shepherd Day after she has returned to San Juan County from Los Angeles, the Farmington Daily Times reports.

The Voice returns tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC when the Top 4 take the stage in a battle to win the title and a recording contract.